Corruption convictions reduced for former South Gate official

A federal appeals court Monday reduced a former South Gate official’s corruption convictions.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out former Treasurer Albert T. Robles’ convictions for public corruption and money laundering but let stand five counts of bribery.

Robles, who was accused of plundering the small, working-class city of South Gate, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2006 for illegal conduct involving city contracts.

The 9th Circuit ruling could trigger a reduction of his sentence, an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court or even possibly a retrial.

Most of Robles’ convictions were thrown out as a result of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of a federal corruption law. The high court said the law could not be used to prosecute people for failure to disclose conflicts of interest.

Robles was elected South Gate treasurer in 1997 and reelected in 2001. He had previously served as South Gate’s mayor and as a City Council member.

A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment, saying the ruling was still being evaluated.

Thomas Kiley, Robles’ attorney, said he hoped the ruling would mean that Robles could leave prison now. Robles has been behind bars since November 2006.

The case will now return to a federal district judge, who will review whether Robles' sentence should be modified.